To many people living frugally is something, for want of a better word, clever.
For some it’s a necessity, for some a kind of hobby but for many of those in my age bracket it’s just something we learnt or picked up from our Grandparents and have continued the trend.

In 1950’s post war Britain, no matter what social class you belonged to, you were still under the influence of things such as ‘make do and mend’, bartering Vegetables and Eggs with your neighbours or Allotment Keepers, you kept Chickens, cut your own firewood and had a Vegetable Patch down the garden.
Fair enough, some more upper classes weren’t quite the same – they could afford to pay someone to do it for them !

Chopping the Kindling with Grandfathers old Axe from the 50’s. All be it a tad tatty, behind is his coal shovel still in use

I could probably afford to go down the local Petrol Station or Wood Yard to buy Kindling or larger Wood for my Rayburn and Open Fire, but why do that when there’s an ample free supply on your doorstep?
In my case I have access to loads of old Pallet Boxes from the 1960’s and a fair sized Wood just down the Lane.

It just doesn’t make sense, whilst I have the health, to buy any. The money I save doing that can be used for more the treats such as my Photography Hobby or having a few breaks away here and there.

Just to remind me that I’m not being clever or ‘modern’, I still use many of my Grandfather’s Tools, most of which are either the same age as me, or older still!
Sure they’re tatty and some falling apart, but they do the job just as well should I go out and spend money on new ones.

But the job they do the most effectively for me is to remind me that these things were just a normal kind of existance when I was a young lad when I’d follow Grandpa down the Garden and watch him digging the Vegetables in his Percy Thrower style tweed jacket, shirt and a tie (I wear joggers and a past it’s sell by date jumper though!).

The more time has gone by since I downshifted from ‘a proper job’ in 1999 I’ve learn to see it more as living a simpler lifestyle rather than a frugal one.
Simpler may not be exactly the right word – walking up the Garden on a windy cold January day to feed the Chickens, digging soggy soil in March and sawing up loads of wood isn’t exactly simple, but you’re not conforming to what modern living is about; you’re taking away the complications, you’re knowing where your food is coming from at a tenth of the price, but most of all you’re not spending money when spending money isn’t needed.

I sometimes think to myself if I hid all the technology away from the House and invited my Grandparents to spend two days with me, what would they think?
I think they would just slot in as if nothing much had happened in the last 50 / 60 years or so.

The sad thing and what they would probably notice is the diminishing wildlife population, but that’s another story!

Livng a frugal life is not something new, it’s simply copying either through personal experiences and memories or researching what it was like through those post war years.

Recent figures have shown yet another 10% drop in the Hedgehog Poluation in the last year, 30% since 2000.
Now being at Number 9 in the UK Endangered Species List it is imperitive that a major effort has to be made to help these numbers increase and bring about a rising healthy population.

One huge factor are new Housing Developments. Not only are they ‘stealing’ nature’s habitats away, they are restricting safe passages for our Hedgehogs through them.
It seems that 6 feet high fence panels are an essential part of these Developments; they give instant privacy and in a lesser degree, some security.

No way in and no way through forcing any Hog to detour and probably to danger

‘The Hedgehog Highway’ is a term brought about by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and means just that – a route for Hedgehogs to go about their business, find safe places to sleep the night and hibernate through Winter.
A Hedgehog can travel over one mile a night looking for food, they are Nomads, so don’t have a full time residence outside of breeding, they are constantly on the search.

An enormous difference could be made by ensuring a passage through not only new Developments but through Estates or Residential areas where fence panels are in place.

Some Fence Panels have concrete bases – if so, almost anything can be used to make a little tunnel

ALL THAT’S NEEDED ARE A FEW 5″ (13cm) HOLES SAWN OUT AT THE BOTTOM and you’ve certainly paid a part into ensuring a future for our spikey friends.

Sure this is only a part of it and there are many more ways in which we can play our part, some of which can be found on the Garden Wildlife pages, one of the biggest being to leave at least one area of your Garden to run a little wild attracting not only Hedgehogs but Insects and Bugs on which they depend.

Channel 5 News 1st. March 2016

We have to make sure that our Children and their’s to come will marvel at the sight of these beautiful interesting creatures roaming around in a more acceptable habitat.

‘A new Housing Estate surrounded by the Beautiful Kent Countryside’ the Developers often say ot thereabouts.
‘A new Housing Estate in the middle and eating up the Kent Countryside’ maybe more accurate?

Or ‘A new Housing Estate on the edge of the Kent Countryside but not for long because another Developers going to buy the fields next to you which will make you as annoyed as the bloke who’s writing this article’!

I see the need for new housing and for people wishing to live close by the Countryside and enjoying the benefits of a modern home with all the mod cons, but what really does upset me is that should they insist on such advertising, they should at least respect what the sountryside is and how important, if not more, it is to wildlife.

In this age of so many species being endangered, not enough seems to be done; the fronts of houses can look quite attractive, usually with no garden as such, then behind them lay the car parking spaces, in a concrete and brick maze and Gardens enclosed in 6 feet high panelled fencing.
All in all a sure fire certainty that wildlife will be severely diminished until some of the owners decide to make changes and attract birds, bees and other creatures.

Gardens two sided panels, one sided brick wall!

Hedgehogs

These pride of the Nation creatures are now one of the most endangered species in the UK and much of the reason lays with the fact they can’t get around as they used to. Gone are the hedgerows replaced with our ‘put it up quick’ fencing methods.

This can easily be rectified by putting 5″ holes in the fencing for them to get through (the ‘Hedgehog Highway’) but should that be down to the new owners? Can’t this be done by the Developers themselves, the cost would be minimum and good PR surely?

To be fair, some Developers are building new homes with suitable wild spaces within a complex, bird boxes under eaves, ponds and of the like, but too many aren’t – many exterior designs do compliment the countryside, but for many it’s build and sell’em quick.

Disclaimer – the above streets are in an Estate where three large ponds have been created

Then come the road names, see just a few below.

The photo showing the car park spaces and brick walls are part of an Estate where we have ‘Wood Lane’, ‘Hawthorn Close’, ‘Acorn Close’, ‘Reed Crescent’ and more. At least plant a few of the said Trees and have a Pond where there are some Reeds!

More emphasis must be put into caring for our wildlife, we can’t just go on as we are. If we do our natural cycles will be disturbed beyond repair, species will die out and after all..

With Winter nearing an end down the Lane comes a chance of checking around the various parts of my garden for any signs of life and that things are in reasonable order and position for the warmer months.

The Bug House appears to be holding out and I know there are about 4 drilled holes which were used by Leafcutter Bees to embed their Larvae in at the end of last August.
There was much Invertebrate activity as well in Autumn so leaving it untouched through the Winter months will, I hope, bring some fruitful life next month or April.

All the Tit Houses and the one Robin House were put up early last Spring but didn’t attract any occupiers, but now they’re weathered in and have a bit of natural surrounding.
My 8 Bird Feeders have attracted all the Tits, Dunnocks, House Sparrows and more through Winter. I haven’t placed all the houses too near the feeders, so here’s hoping!

The same applies to the Bat House I put up high just inside of the open fronted Barn. There are many Bats around here through the warmer months and to be honest they have a wide choice of more natural homes, so I’m not over confident, but it’s there should they wish to use it.
Of course, once they do, no one can move it, fine by me !

Three of the Tit Boxes around the Garden

It’s nice sitting inside my Office Shed because I know I’m not alone ! Underneath the Common Lizards are enjoying a nice dry and cosy place to spend the Winter.
There are more up the other end of the Garden but I know not where they have their Chez Nous!
I make this an excuse for not tidying up too much around the Vegetable Patch, I’d hate to destroy a Winter Home and possibly losing them.

Lizard entrance under Shed – The Frog House – Bat Box in Barn

As far as I know the Hedgehog is still fast asleep in my DIY Hog House.
For about six years I never saw a Hedgehog here, then last Summer two or three seemed to be paying regular visits.
I made three Houses for them and to be honest, again for the reason there are ample natural places for them to stay, I didn’t think they would be occupied. It was one of those things where it’s nice to do but underneath you don’t think it’ll work.

In late October I thought I’d just check them out and the one under the Laurel Bush in which I’d put some dead leaves and twigs appeared more compact. I gently moved the top of them to find a large spiky ball in the corner!
I have to admit I shed a tear !

The occupied Hedgehog House

I placed a couple of small twigs in the tunnel entrance to check if he or she was going out or coming in and they’re still there.

I haven’t checked the Frog House, don’t want to disturb one if there’s one there.

So with Spring the excitement comes. Will it all fall into place, will it help? etc.
I look forward with hope!